Out of Boone, Into Africa
From the Archives: 2008
By Tiffany Christian
In my heart of hearts, going to Africa was just a dream—something other people did. After all, my kids were too little, I was working full time and there was no money. Maybe I could go in 15 or 20 years.
In my class at the university, a guest speaker from Uganda shared with my students. Valance talked about the work he was accomplishing there through a non-profit organization. He so touched the heart of my students, their response was “We want to go and be a part of what he’s doing!” However, we had a problem. All the paper work involved in taking a trip in the next year had to be turned in that very afternoon. I called the office and the Lord gave me favor. They said they would work with me and give me some time.
Tiffany’s first day in the African village (Tiffany is holding baby)
When I reached home, I nonchalantly asked my husband, “Can I go to Africa for three or four weeks this summer?” We had just watched the movie The Last King of Scotland about Idi Amin, and now I’m asking to go to Uganda! To my surprise, he looked at me and said, “Okay.” Approximately one month after Valance came to speak, the first student made her deposit for the trip. By summer our group was comprised of nine young women and one lone man.
I had been questioning why I was working. Was it really important and did it have any purpose? How did this trip fit into that plan? Was it really God’s will for me to leave my family and head for Africa? I needed to know. God soon made it clear that this was in reality a “mission trip” disguised as “service learning.” One of my students was strong in her faith. I called her my reinforcement and together we began to pray.
God’s provision began to pour into my life. My mother was able to come help with care of my children ages eleven, nine and two year old twins. The kids did wonderfully well while I was away. No one on the trip became ill. We left with reservations about our transportation service because no one had ever heard of them. But how could you go wrong with a company named Alpha and Omega Tours? I will use them every time I travel. We had no flight delays coming or going which is unheard of!
Wearing traditional African dresses in the village (Tiffany in middle)
The Holy Spirit paved the way. All the students got along peacefully. There was not one disagreement among the women and our one man didn’t lose his mind dealing with so many females! I sensed God was just as interested in ministering to our little group as much as He was interested in the African villages. They were completely out of their element and very uncomfortable. We became real with one another and shared things we wouldn’t ordinarily talk about. I had prayed for grace to handle things well and I was able to show them love and acceptance even when I disagreed with some of their lifestyle choices. One of the students commented, “I know you never judge us.” That impacted me just as much or more than the things we did to serve the Africans. And we did serve them. We were able to complete the framing for outhouses in one village while we ourselves had to use a little rectangle in the ground. My eleven year old daughter, Rayanna, had raised enough money for five pigs. We bought and presented them to the village and brought back photos for her.
There is no electricity, no modern conveniences; everything is accomplished through manual labor. Yet we noticed boldly painted on one of their huts these words “JESUS IS OUR PROVIDER.”
God also gave me space on the trip for reflection and I marveled at His creation. I went rafting on the Nile even though I can’t swim. We went on a safari and saw elephants no more than ten feet away. There were hippos, warthogs and monkeys everywhere. It was incredible. It was nothing like visiting a zoo. I felt I had been invited into their territory and nothing would harm me.
God gave me remarkable peace while I was there. I had received lots of support and encouragement from mothers I respected before I left. The Lord confirmed I was in His will and doing exactly what He wanted for me. It was right for my family and the timing was perfect. I was amazed by the African Christians. In the villages they began their long day by rising before the sun and singing praises to their Savior. I awoke to the sound of these praises each morning. Their lives are hard. They have lost a whole generation to AIDS. You see babies and old people, but there is no population in between! There is no electricity, no modern conveniences; everything is accomplished through manual labor. Yet we noticed boldly painted on one of their huts these words “JESUS IS OUR PROVIDER.”
I plan to return next year, taking Rayanna with me. She wants to visit the pigs. I’ll also be taking a new group of App State students. I’ve been given favor at App State and the red carpet has been rolled out for me. I have university support, church support and family support. The door has swung wide open and if I didn’t walk through, folks would push me through. I can’t believe this is my life. What a wonderful Lord!
